Combined humidifier and hot water radiator



Aug. 9, 1966 s, R, JOHNSON .3,265,305

COMBINED HUMIDIFIER AND HOT WATER RADIATOR Filed Oct. 9 1964 TTOR/V Y United States Patent O 3,265,305 COMBINED HUMIDIFIER AND HT WATER RADIATOR Sanders R. Johnson, Lakehurst, North Windham, Maine Filed Get. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 403,449l Claims. (Cl. 237-78) The present application is a continuati-on-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 374,334, tiled June 11, 1964 and now abandoned. t

The present invention relates to combinations of hot water radiators and humidifiers and particularly to such combinations of the simulating base boards type.

It is widely recognized that human comfort is affected by the relative humidity and that during cold weather, the air in a heated building is far too dry with the average sized room in a house requiring the addition of a gallon of water a day thereto. While relative humidity below 35% or above 50% is attended by some degree of discomfort to most people, there are many whose health is adversely affected when the relative humidity is too low. In addition, low relative humidity within a house results in separation of joints and cracks in floors, moldings, and furniture. These factors have lead to the wide use of humidiers, some of the automatic type that are either incorporated in hot air heating systems or connected to the water supply and others that are independent of the heating systems, sometimes referred to as portatble and usually requiring filling by hand.

For those having hot water heating systems, the type that is otherwise usually regarded as the most satisfactory, there is no way to incorporate humidifying means therein so that, prior to the present invention, portable humidiiiers or those connected to the Water supply have had to be used. Neither choice is a satisfactory solution of the problem, even for a single room, due to the cost of both types of equipment and the space they require and the attention needed when .they are in service, particularly the portable type.

The principal objective of the present invention is to provide a combined hot water radiator and humidifier, particularly one that can be used as a baseboard radiator Vor as a part thereof or, by itself, as a humidifier, particularly one that can be incorporated in existing baseboard radiators or other suitable housings. In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained with a housing having a lengthwise opening in its upper portion. Within the lower portion of the casing there is a heating unit including a lengthwise hot water conduit of stock having good heat conductivity perforations and having an inlet .and an outlet for use in connecting it with the hot water system. A plurality of spaced tins of heat conductive stock are supported by the conduit in thermal contact therewith, the fins having an upper edge providing a supporting surface. An elongated, open tank of heat conductive stock is supported by the fins below the lengthwise opening and it divides the portion of the housing which it occupies into a lower, heating chamber and an upper humidifying chamber. The container has a oat controlled inlet connectable to the hot water system and., when a safeguard against the malfunctioning thereof is desired, the container also has an overliow. Within the container and projecting upwardly .above the water level, as determined by the float, are a series of water -absorbent plates.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illlustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combined hot Patented August 9, 1956 water radiator and humidifier in accordance with the invention with certain parts broken away to show interior details,

FIGURE 2 is a section taken approximately along 4the indicated lines 2 2 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a similar sectional view illustrating a modification of the invention.

A combined hot water radiator and humidifier is shown Ias having a generally indicated housing 5 of the type sirnultaing a baseboard. The length of the housing depends on the heating requirements of the room and the structural features thereof which may permit several lengths to be combined or which may require that each length be spaced from and entirely independent of the others. In any event, the total length of the housing is such as to include between its ends, the hot water supply pipe 6 and a return pipe 7 of the hot water heating system and having elbows 8 and 9, respectively, interconnected by the conduit 10, typically a length of copper tubing. The conduit 10 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced, rectangular tins 11, typically of copper, attached to the conduit 10 in a manner ensuring a good thermal contact therewith.

Seated on the fins 11 usually adjacent one end of the housing 5 is a tank 12 of stock that is a good heat conductor and provided with an inlet 13 shown as connected to the elbow 8 by a valve 14 and having a valve 1'5 within the tank 12 controlled by the lio-at 16 to maintain a desired water level therein. At its other end, the tank 12 has an overflow 17 conneced to a drain 18 as a safeguard against any chance of water damage in the event of any malfunctioning of the iioat-controlled Valve 15. Within the tank 12, there is a lengthwise support 19 in the form of an inverted V having a series of spaced, transverse slots 20, each receiving and providing support for an appropriate one of the plates 21 which are of water absorbent material and which are dimensioned to extend an appropriate distance above the water level.

The housing 5 is shown as having a back wall 22 with which one side of the tank 12 is in contact and which is provided with an inturned flange 23. The back wall 22 has end braces 24 caught under the conduit 10 and also serving as a backer against which the fittings of the inlet 13 and the overflow 17 may be clamped as by nuts 25 with only the nuts 25 threaded on the inlet fitting 13A being shown. It will be noted that the lower part 12A of the front wall of the tank is inclined upwardly and outwardly, see FIGURE 2, and that the upper part 12B thereof is inclined upwardly and inwardly towards the free edge of the ange 23 but terminating shor-t thereof to provide a lengthwise slot 26. The housing 5 also includes a front wall 27 having an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion 27A terminating in a rolled edge 27B hooked over and supported by the edge of the upper front wall part 12B of the tank 14. The lower part of the housing back wall 22 is also provided with transverse members 28 each having a bead 28A at its end releasably catching Athe rolled edge 27C at the bottom edge of the housing front wall 27 both supporting it above the oor and holding its portion 27A in thermal contact with the portion 12B ofthe front tank wall.

It will be noted that the free edge of the flange 23 is rolled in as at 23A enabling back walls to be fitted together when more than one length is to be combined in which 4case the other length would not usually require a humidifier. If additional humidifying means were required, the tank 12 could be replaced by one of greater length. Caps 29 and 30 lare iitted over the ends of the walls to complete the housing.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the humidifier tank 12 is supported by and in good thermal contact with the fins of the heater and with the front and back housing walls, and also it is a barrier dividing, throughout its length, that part of the housing that it occupies into upper and lower portions. The lower portion under the tank 12 is a heating chamber and the upper portion a humidier with the heating -chamber including the space between the front wall part 12A of the tank and the front `Wall 27 of the housing.

The lower part of the tank wall 32A extends vertically in spaced relation to the housing 5 and its upper part extends upwardly and inwardly and is corrugated as at 32B.

A strip 33 is secured to the outer crests at their upper` ends for engagement by the rolled edge 27B of the housing wall portion 27A with the corrugations providing generally indicated air passages 34 opening into the space above the tank 32 and between it and the slot 26.

In operation, the oat-controlled valve maintains the humidifier tank 12 lled to the desired extent as determined by its float. The water introduced into the tank may or may not be hot depending on heat requirements, and the rate of water evaporation is a function of its temperature so that the tank 12 must be heated to the maximum extent and for the maximum length of time. This objective is attained because of the good thermal contact of the humidier tank 12 with the heating tins 11 and because the heating chamber retains the heat for the maximum time. It will be appreciated that the humidier also serves to vent air from the heating system and that access to the humidifying means can be readily had simply by removing the front wall 27.

I claim:

1. A combined humidier and radiator for hot water heating systems comprising a housing of 'heat conductive material, having an upwardly Opening, lengthwise slot in the upper portion of its outer wall, a heating unit in the lower portion of said housing including a lengthwise water conduit of heat conductive stock for connection with an inlet and an outlet of the system, and a plurality of approximately rectangular ns of heat conductive stock through which the conduit extends and with which said conduit is in thermal contact, and an elongated, open tank of heat conductive stock within said -housing below said slot, said tank being supported by and in thermal contact with said tins, said outer housing wall and the proximate wall of said tank being spaced and arranged to establish an air conduit eecting communication between the heating chamber and the space between said tank and said slot, and said tank including a float controlled inlet for connection with the inlet of said system.

2. A combined humidier and radiator for hot water heating systems comprising a housing of heat conductive material, having an upwardly opening, lengthwise slot in the upper portion of its outer wall, a heating unit in the lower portion of said housing including a Klengthwise water conduit of heat conductive stock for connection with an inlet and an outlet yof the system, and a plurality of approximately rectangular ins of heat conductive stock through which the conduit extends and with which said conduit is in thermal contact, and an elongated, open tank of heat conductive stock within said housing below said slot, said tank including a at bottom and being supported by and in thermal contact with said tins and being of a size and shape to constitute a horizontal partition substantially dividing said housing into a lower heating chamber and an upper humidifying chamber, the upper part of the outer tank wall and the upper part of t-he outer housing wall being upwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper edges of said upper parts including detachable, interengageable portions, and said tank including a float controlled inlet for connection with the inlet of said system.

3. A combined humidifier and radiator for hot water heating systems comprising a housing of heat conductive material, having an upwardly opening, lengthwise slot in the upper portion of its outer wall, a heating unit in the lower portion of said 4housing including a lengthwise water conduit of heat conductive stock for connection with an inlet and an outlet of the system, and a Iplurality of approximately rectangular fins of heat conductive stock through w-hich the conduit extends and with which said conduit is in thermal contact, and an elongated, open tank of heat conductive stock within said housing below said slot, said tank including a iiat bottom and being supported by and in thermal contact with said ns, said outer housing wall and the proximate wall of said tank being spaced and arranged to establish an air conduit effecting communication between the heating chamber and the space between said tank and said slot, and said tank including a oat controlled inlet for connection with the inlet of said system, a support in the form of an inverted channel seated on and extending lengthwise of the tank bottom and a plurality of vertically disposed, water absorbent plates spaced lengthwise of said tank and supported on said support.

4. The combined heater and radiator of claim 2 in which the lower part of the front wall of the tank is inclined upwardly and outwardly, the lower edge of the outer wall of the housing being spaced from the lower part of the outer tank wall to provide a longitudinal air chamber opening into the llower chamber.

5. The combined heater and radiator of claim 1 in which the front wall of the tank includes a part having vertical corrugations whose crests engage the outer wall of the housing and which divide the air conduit into a plurality of air passages eifecting communication between the heating chamber and the space between the tank and the slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,327 2/1933 Wayles 237-78 2,004,147 6/ 1935 Worrall 237-78 2,662,747 12/1953 Trane et al. 165-55 3,129,268 4/1964 Evett 237-78 X FOREIGN PATENTS Ad. 11,955 6/1910 France.

177,185 8/ 1935 Switzerland.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

MEYER PERLIN, Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED HUMIDIFIER AND RADIATOR FOR HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEMS COMPRISING A HOUSING OF HEAT CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPENING, LENGTHWISE SLOT IN THE UPPER PORTION OF ITS OUTER WALL, A HEATING UNIT IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A LENGTHWISE WATER CONDUIT OF HEAT CONDUCTIVE STOCK FOR CONNECTION WITH AN INLET AND AN OUTLET OF THE SYSTEM, AND A PLURALITY OF APPROXIMATELY RECTANGULAR FINS OF HEAT CONDUCTIVE STOCK THROUGH WHICH THE CONDUIT EXTENDS AND WITH WHICH SAID CONDUIT IS IN THERMAL CONTACT, AND AN ELONGATED, OPEN TANK OF HEAT CONDUCTIVE STOCK WITHIN SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID SLOT, SAID TANK BEING SUPPORTED BY AND IN THERMAL CONTACT WITH SAID FINS, SAID OUTER HOUSING WALL AND THE PROXIMATE WALL OF SAID TANK BEING SPACED AND ARRANGED TO ESTABLISH AN AIR CONDUIT EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HEATING CHAMBER AND THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID TANK AND SAID SLOT, AND SAID TANK INCLUDING A FLOAT CONTROLLED INLET FOR CONNECTION WITH THE INLET OF SAID SYSTEM. 